The sheriff's department initially withheld from the public court file the names of four of the accused deputies, citing concerns they would be targeted for harassment or hacking if publicly identified. NTSB The L.A County Sheriffs Department says that eight different deputies were ordered to delete graphic photos from the scene of Kobe Bryants deadly helicopter crash, and says he ordered the deletion to make sure the photos didnt make their way to the internet. Gavin Newsom unveiled a new strategy to collect and store more water, recycle more wastewater, and desalinate seawater and salty groundwater to address the states long-term drought problems, The Associated Press reports. The court documents were filed Monday as part of widow Vanessa Bryant's federal lawsuit against Los Angeles County that alleges invasion of privacy. In September 2020, Vanessa Bryantsued the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the county's fire department, the county as a whole, and eight officers in the wake of reports that first responders took and shared photos of the January 2020 crash site. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS, Heartbroken dad issues warning after son, 13, dies in TikTok challenge, Red flag after possible suspect in missing brothers case made eerie request, Two dead and four injured after 19-year-old 'opens fire at prom after party', $80k reward offered for shooting suspect Francisco Oropesa after five killed, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Vanessa Bryant filed a lawsuit against the LAPD Sheriff for inappropriate photos of Kobe and Gianna's death site in 2020, The photos reportedly show the bodies of the NBA legend, his daughter, and seven others who died in the crash, Deputies allegedly allowed their colleagues to see the photos that had no investigative purpose, At least eight deputies allegedly snapped photos of the dead children, their parents and coaches, according to the lawsuit, An investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board examines the plane wreckage, LAPD Sheriff Alex Villanueva allegedly didn't tell the victims' families about the images, Vanessa claims in her filing, Charred parts from the doomed helicopter that crashed into a mountainside in Calabasas, Victim's families only learned of the scandal in the media after the story broke, the lawsuit claims, A search helicopter lands near the site where Kobe's Mamba Chopper crashed, Authorities search the scene for clues through thick plumes of smoke, Local fire crews assisted in the search for all nine victims' bodies, Vanessa shared Instagram photos of Kobe memorabilia that she collected throughout his career, She posed for a photo wearing her late husband's team jacket, Kobe's wife took a '#Keepsake' selfie in his high school basketball warm-up jacket, A photo of the jersey worn by Kobe during the 2001 NBA Finals, the year he and the Lakers won the championship, Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in California on January 26, Seven others died alongside the NBA legend and his daughter, Vanessa Bryant paystribute to her late husband Kobe and daughter with two new tattoos, askingVanessato undergo a psychiatric evaluation, showed off the crash site pics to a woman he was trying to impress, they'd get off scot-free if they deleted the photos, shared Instagram photos of memorabilia pieces. The union representing Los Angeles County firefighters did not respond to a request for comment. The Los Angeles County Fire Department planned to terminate the employment of two firefighters and suspend a third for allegedly taking graphic photos at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and sharing them with their wives and girlfriends, according to court documents filed this week. The deputies "No fewer than 8 sheriff's deputies at the crash site, pulled out their personal cell phones and snapped photos of the dead children, parents and coaches," says the lawsuit, which TMZ obtained a copy of. Our experts predict every series, 2023 NBA playoffs: Second-round series, Finals, MVP odds, 'He looks better than ever': Why the Orlando bubble was 'just the beginning' for Jamal Murray, Memphis wasn't 'fine in the West' -- getting there hinges on massive culture questions, 'Help the bear': LeBron James trolls Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies, Why the Lakers' real test begins now, after dispatching the No. "Had we done the original, usual routine, which was relieve everybody of duty and everybody lawyers up and all that, that would increase the odds 10-fold that those photos would have somehow made their way into the public domain, Villanueva added. The third firefighter was suspended, the filing claims without naming any of the involved personnel. Kobe Bryant was partially identified by his skin tone and tattoos on his arm, Tauscher testified. She offered insight into the grisly scene to give a sense of what photos of the site would show. Tauscher testified that the coroner's office took about 1,250 photos of the crash site, about 300 of which were of human remains. Video Shows LASD Sharing Graphic Photos of Kobe Bryant's Body Eric Leonard reports for NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on April 15, 2021. In Vanessa's lawsuit, she claims Sheriff Alex Villanueva attempted to cover up the misconduct by going to the department substation that responded to the crash and told deputies they'd get off scot-free if they deleted the photos. 2 Grizzlies, Celtics-76ers first look: What could decide the battle of East heavyweights, Pregame chats, language arts and 'a lot of fines': Inside NBA player-ref dynamics, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Thursdays witnesses included the Lakers general manager, Rob Pelinka, who spoke about the Bryant familys distress. Copyright 2023 FireRescue1. The County brings this motion to compel IMEs of the Plaintiffs, which are necessary to evaluate the existence, extent and nature of Plaintiffs alleged emotional injuries. Kobe and Gigi were on their way to the Mamba Academy for basketball practice when the private helicopter went down in the Calabasas mountains northwest of Los Angeles. None of the three was identified by name, and their employment status was not clear. Kobe Bryant crash photos And that's definitely what we do not want.. The employment status of all three was not immediately clear Wednesday. He took his own photos the next day, the Times reported, but denied taking photos of the victims' bodies and said he did not take photos with his personal cellphone. Bryant first filed the invasion of privacy lawsuit in state court in September, then moved it to federal court a month later, accusing county employees of having "shown off" photos of the remains of her husband and teenage daughter for no law enforcement purpose. Mendez previously told sheriffs investigators that the bartender, Victor Gutierrez, walked over to their table and shared a story: A bar regular who was a Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy had just shown Gutierrez graphic photos of victims from the crash site. The kitchen has cabinets from Reform and Calacatta Arabescato marble surfaces. Her suit is seeking punitive damages from county defendants who are accused of taking and sharing crash site photos. Kobe Bryant and the others were killed Jan. 26, 2020, when the helicopter they were aboard crashed west of Los Angeles. "The deputies took these photos for their own personal gratification.". Chris Chester, whose wife, Sarah, and daughter Payton died in the crash, is also suing county workers on the same claims and will have a consolidated nine-day trial alongside Bryant's against the county. The County brings this motion to compel IMEs of the Plaintiffs, which are necessary to evaluate the existence, extent and nature of Plaintiffs alleged emotional injuries. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. At issue: graphic victim photos taken on personal cellphones by emergency workers at the helicopter crash site in which nine people died, including the retired Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Jean-baptiste Lacroix / AFP via Getty Images, Kobe and Gianna were among the nine people killed in a. Testimony from Capt. Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. The county has also worked tirelessly for two and half years to make sure its site photos of the crash were never publicly disseminated. The county continues to express its deepest sympathies for the families that suffered this terrible loss, Mira Hashmall, a lawyer representing Los Angeles County, said in a statement. Water: Gov. Lawyers representing Los Angeles County said that taking photographs of fatal crime and accident scenes was common practice for investigative and information-sharing purposes, and that no crash site photos had ever been distributed publicly because, in part, all county personnel deleted the images from their phones and they cannot be recovered. Tauscher, a key witness for Bryant and Chester, delivered exceptionally detailed and graphic testimony about the post-crash condition of each victim's body, providing jurors with a mental image of what photos of the site would show. Last March, U.S. District Court Judge John F. Walter ruled against the county and allowed the deputies' names to be published. Low water lines from the drought in California can be seen on the banks of Lake McClure formed by the New Exchequer Dam in Mariposa County last month. FILE In this Jan. 26, 2020, photo, firefighters work the scene of a helicopter crash where former NBA basketball star Kobe Bryant died in Calabasas. Vanessa Bryants case claimed dissemination of the images was so widespread within the sheriff's department that one detective who received some of the pictures told investigators he couldn't remember who gave them to him. Thanks for reading. Imbrenda alleged he was demoted for refusing to hand over his personal cellphone during the investigation into the photos, which he said was a violation of the Firefighter Bill of Rights. Several Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies -- none of whom were directly involved in the investigation of the crash -- are also included in the lawsuit because they are accused of taking or passing around the grisly photos with family, friends and, in one case, a bar patron and a bartender who later complained to the sheriff's department. "What someone looks like in death is very different than in life," she said. WebEIGHT officers from the LA County Sheriff's Department took photos of the grisly crash site where Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were killed, a lawsuit claims. Bryant is suing the county for negligence, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy claims as well as federal claims which relate to the constitutional right to the images of her deceased loved ones, and LA County agency practices that led to the alleged taking and dissemination of photos. ABC7 Eyewitness News Watch Now Firefighters WebA coroner testified in Vanessa Bryant's suit against LA County over helicopter-crash photos of Kobe. New court filings allege that dozens of public employees were aware of grisly imagery in Kobe Bryant crash photo lawsuit. The third firefighter was said to be a media relations officer sent to the scene to interact with the press, the court document said. "He (Cruz) had the public's trust riding on his shoulders," Mendez told the court. Kickingstone and Sage then slid down as their friends waved ribbon wands on either side of them. Kobe Bryant crash pics exchanged by cops playing 'Call of Duty' A deputy showed off the crash site pics to a woman he was trying to impress at a bar, the lawsuit claims. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The couple climbed to the top of an extra-wide slide, where two witnesses signed their marriage license using the newlyweds backs as hard surfaces. That's when a bartender overheard the conversation and blew the whistle by reporting the information to the sheriff's department. An internal investigation by the Los Angeles County Fire Department found that two firefighters -- whose names were not disclosed in the court filings -- had taken photos of the bodies in the helicopter wreckage that "served no business necessity," Vanessa Bryant's attorneys wrote, and "only served to appeal to baser instincts and desires for what amounted to visual gossip.". Los Angeles County has now hit back in new court documents askingVanessato undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether or not shes actually been as distressed as shes claimed. WebBrowse 2,213 kobe bryant crash photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. "That was my number one priority to make sure those photos no longer existed," Villanueva said. Surveillance video inside the bar showing Cruz and Gutierrez interacting and appearing to look at Cruzs cellphone together played throughout his testimony. "Ms. Bryant feels ill at the thought of strangers gawking at images of her deceased husband and child, and she lives in fear that she or her children will one day confront horrific images of their loved ones online," the documents said. Bryants attorneys have not responded to requests for comment about the lawsuit. The Garden has lots of trails, and many are accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. The suit claims the Sheriff never gave the family clear answers, and now Vanessa lives in constant fear that the devastating photos will leak to the public. LOOK: Firefighters and sheriffs work the scene of a helicopter crash that killed former NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant, Sunday, in Calabasas, Calif. | AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill https:// inq.news/RIPKobe In a courtroom on the seventh floor of the marbled federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, a high-stakes drama is playing out, pitting one of the countrys largest law enforcement agencies against the widow of one of the citys patron saints. Two key witnesses testified in Vanessa Bryant's trial against LA County on Thursday. A songwriter and his sister take on a Hollywood hills fixer-upper. The helicopter that had been chartered by the Lakers legend for a trip to a youth basketball tournament crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California, amid dense fog, killing all nine people on board, including the Bryants 13-year-old daughter Gianna. Kobe Bryant crash photos were shared by deputies as gossip, This March through June will be especially spectacular, as the meadow bursts into wildflower bloom.. Well be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. Another was the man who reported Cruz after the bartender told him what he had just seen. There is no legal basis for suing defendants for hypothetical harm, the paperwork said. Soumya Karlamangla, Isabella Grulln Paz and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. All nine people aboard, including the pilot, Ara Zobayan, died in the crash. Los Angeles sheriff: A former Los Angeles County assistant sheriff is suing Sheriff Alex Villanueva over a demotion, The Los Angeles Times reports. In September 2020, Bryant sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the county's fire department, the county as a whole, and eight officers in the wake of reports reported on by the LA Times that first responders took and shared photos of the January 2020 crash site. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Bryant, sitting in the courtroom, repeatedly wiped away tears and, at times, held her head in her hands. In subsequent filings, Bryant's legal team also said it learned by examining internal documents from the sheriff's department and fire department that as many as 66 county employees had knowledge of the photos and at least 18, including the four named deputies, had either taken or shared the pictures directly. The third firefighter received an "intention to suspend" letter. CALABASAS, Calif. An institutional culture of callousness led Los Angeles County deputies and firefighters to shoot and share photos of the remains of Kobe Bryant and other victims of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed the Lakers star, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others, a lawyer for Bryants widow told a jury Wednesday. Recovery after fire: One year after a wildfire charged across a craggy mountainside above Lone Pine, flashes of new growth are emerging in the still-charred corner of the Inyo National Forest, The Associated Press reports. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Capt. Villanueva allegedly didn't tell the victims' families about the images - their loved ones only learned of the scandal in the media after the story broke, according to the lawsuit. 1 priority, was to make sure those photos no longer exist," Villanueva said. The trial is expected to last at least another week, with 52 total witnesses slated to appear. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, I cant breathe: Patient dies after 5 Calif. FF-medics violate policy, Chief shares details about Calif. firefighters' strip club scandal, Fla. FF files complaint over photo of chief with 'Hitler-style mustache' giving Nazi salute on duty, Video: 6 DCFEMS members placed on leave after physical fight on scene, Open the tools menu in your browser. Shark attack: A California paddle boarder and his dog were thrown into the ocean when a shark bit the board, but both survived the encounter without injuries, The Associated Press reports. Vanessa shared Instagram photos of memorabilia pieces she collected during her late husband's career last year amid the legal drama. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In his March 2020 interview with NBC News, Villanueva said he was focused on containing the potential distribution of the photos. I love her with every thread of my being.. Bryant's attorneys then filed an amended lawsuit that listed the names of the deputies Joey Cruz, Rafael Mejia, Michael Russell and Raul Versales and detailed allegations against each. Kobes widow Vanessa Bryant has sued the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, the Fire Department, the county and eight police officers, LOS ANGELES -- Two Los Angeles County firefighters could be fired and a third suspended after some first responders took and shared graphic photos from the site of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter and seven others, court documents say. Also testifying was Gutierrez, the bartender, who said Deputy Joey Cruz showed him cellphone images of the helicopter crash victims. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for emotional distress. Anyone can read what you share. Several Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies --none of whom were directly involved in the investigation of the crash -- are also included in the lawsuit because they are accused of taking or passing around the grisly photos with family, friends and, in one case, a bar patron and a bartender who later complained to the sheriff's department. Gov. CA Firefighters Terminated over Kobe Bryant Crash Photos During his testimony, Gutierrez said he remembered briefly seeing graphic images, but could not recall telling anyone else including Mendez about what he had seen. "We never laughed about the photos, I'm 100% sure of that what type of human beings would we be." Capt. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Contact Ellen Durney at ellen.durney@buzzfeed.com. An internal investigation by the Los Angeles County Fire Department found that two firefighters -- whose names were not disclosed in the court filings -- had taken photos of the bodies in the helicopter wreckage that "served no business necessity," Vanessa Bryant's attorneys wrote, and "only served to appeal to baser instincts and desires for what amounted to visual gossip.". ", Videos showed Gutierrez making motions towards his head, neck, and torso as if to describe the injuries in the photos when speaking with other parties. Ellen Durney is a Celebrity News Fellow for BuzzFeed News and is based in London. Vanessa Bryant arrives at Federal Court to testify The Sheriff's Department said Wednesday that "a full administrative investigation was conducted and appropriate administrative action was taken.'' Here's How They're Doing It, How SNL Star Ego Nwodim Brought Lisa From Temecula' to Life, Women Found Dead Near Railroad in Carson Identified, Hollywood Braces for Possible Writers Strike as Talks Continue. The captain of the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff's station, which oversees the area where the crash occurred, pushed back on the decision but was overruled. The NTSB determined the probable cause of the crash was pilot error. IE 11 is not supported. Leaked graphic pictures of Kobe Bryant and Gigi's bodies 'found The disclosure was made by lawyers for the late basketball stars wife, Vanessa Bryant, in court documents related to her invasion of privacy lawsuit against Los Angeles County. Melody is the one I want to be with in these apocalyptic times, Kickingstone told The New York Times. The court documents were filed Monday as part of widow Vanessa Bryant's federal lawsuit against Los Angeles County that alleges invasion of privacy. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. Gutierrez denied to the court that he and Cruz were laughing at what they looked at on his phone. "Had we done the original, usual routine, which was relieve everybody of duty and everybody lawyers up and all that, that would increase the odds 10-fold that those photos would have somehow made their way into the public domain, Villanueva added. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The National Transportation Safety Board said pilot Ara Zobayan ignored his training when he intentionally flew into blinding clouds at high speed, allowing himself to become susceptible to spatial disorientation. Stay up to date with what you want to know. interacts online and researches product purchases Representatives from the union that represents firefighters did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment Wednesday. Lexipol. The reports said the firefighters had snapped images of victims remains that served no business necessity and instead only served to appeal to baser instincts and desires for what amounted to visual gossip, the paperwork states. Imbrenda did, however, hand over his department cellphone and laptop, the Times reported. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Heres todays Mini Crossword, and a clue: Gush forth (4 letters). FireRescue1 is revolutionizing the way the fire service community During San Francisco Pride in June, Melody Sage, who is queer, and Rosco Kickingstone, a transgender man, tied the knot. WebThe Los Angeles County Fire Department will reportedly fire two firefighters for their role in sharing the graphic photos from Kobe Bryants death. View our online Press Pack. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Firefighters to Be Fired in Kobe Bryant Crash Photo Scandal: Court Gavin Newsom last year signed a law that makes it a crime for first responders to take unauthorized photos of deceased people at the scene of an accident or crime. Summer of NIMBY: Tech moguls and investors, whose industry champions housing relief, have banded together to object to a plan for multifamily homes near their estates in Atherton. The deputies allegedly snapped photos of the dead children, their parents and coaches, according to the lawsuit filed last year by Vanessa Bryant in Los Angeles. H6 Radio Straps Decon Comfort Functionality, Documents related to the lawsuit filed by widow Vanessa Bryant reveals two firefighters were terminated in December and another was suspended. Surveillance footage showed Cruz and Gutierrez greeting each other, as Cruz then showed Gutierrez a series of photos on his phone for under a minute. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Emily Tauscher gave graphic testimony about the post-crash condition of each victim's body. Todays tip comes from Carolyn Chaney, who recommends the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: The Garden is filled with native California plants, including a stand of magnificent redwoods and a section devoted to the Channel Islands (with a great view most days). At least eight Los Angeles County employees have been accused of taking graphic pictures of the victims damaged bodies with their personal cellphones and circulating the images among colleagues and, in some instances, Handout / National Transportation Safety Board via Getty Images, Mrs. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. Sheriff Alex Villanueva has said he learned within days of the crash that at least one deputy who worked at the Malibu-Lost Hills station had reportedly flashed gruesome accident scene photos at a bar. I do not remember being there. Vanessa Bryants lawsuit accuses a number of deputies, firefighters, and other officials of taking or sharing photos of dead bodies at the scene, including those of Kobe and the couple's teenage daughter, Gianna. Kobe Bryant photos